Portable communication devices, such as two-way radios and cell phones, are used in variety of environments. Cell phones typically address the needs of the consumer market while two-way radios are most often used in the public safety arena, such a police and fire rescue. There is an ever increasing need to have these two types of communication systems overlap in terms of interoperability. Accessories which can be used interchangeably between the two types of products are highly desirable so that the overall number of accessories carried by a user can be minimized. The ability to use off the shelf cell phone accessories with a two-way radio however, presents challenges for the two-way radio designer.
Two-way radios tend to be more rugged than cell phones in terms of their design for water intrusion. Water sealing is a required feature for most two-way radios and is typically accomplished through the use of a mechanical seal or cover. While the seal can prevent water intrusion into the body of the two-way radio, there remains the possibility of water intrusion into the jack while the jack's cover is removed. A wet contact area can lead to galvanic contacts and possibly degrade or make inoperable the accessory performance. If water intrusion could be detected by the two-way radio, the user could be warned to dry the contacts.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for detecting water intrusion in an accessory jack of a portable communication device.